Work-rotating structure for machine tools



Dec. 27, 1932. H. FLATHER WORK ROTATING STRUCTURE FOR MACHINE TOOLSFiled Nov.l6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 27, 1932 PATENT oFFicEHERBERT L. FLATHER, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE WORK-ROTATING STRUCTUREFOR. MACHINE TOOLS Application filed November 16, 1931. Serial No.575,225.

This invention relates to mountings for face-plates, chucks, fixturesand similar parts on spindles of lathes and other machine tools. Theconventional mounting comprises a screw-thread on the spindle, and amating thread on a part to be mounted. That type of mounting has severalobjections, among which may be mentioned, first, lack of rigidity whensubjected to heavy strains; second, inaccuracy, because it has beendemonstrated that it is impossible to put on and take off a face-plateor other similar part rapidly, without the threads becoming worn andinaccurate; third, that if a spindle running at present day speeds bestopped suddenly, the momentum of the part screwed to the spin dle issufiicient to cause such part to unscrew from the spindle with thepossibility of causing damage to the work and to the machine, and injuryto the workman; and fourth, the necessity of the exercise of great careon the part of the workman to see that the screwthreads are free fromforeign matter, and properly lubricated before being screwed to-.gether. hen neglect of this kind occurs, the parts become jammed, orfrozen together, with the result that the screw-threads are damaged,and, in extreme cases, injured beyond repair. 7

The mounting herein disclosed overcomes this objection, and providesmore simple, rigid, accurate and durable means for mounting theface-plates, chucks, fixtures and other parts on the ends of machinetool spindles, or their equivalents. Although the spindle shown in thedrawings is that of a lathe, my invention is not limited to thatparticular machine, as the invention may be employed advantageously inmachine tools in any situation where the results desired are similar tothose which are found desirable in lathe work.

The mounting as herein disclosed comprises fastening means such as aring, which normally secures the work-rotating body to the spindle. Thepresent invention aims to provide means to support this ring, and tohold the same against rotation when the work-rotating body is detachedfrom the spindle, and to provide a structure in whlch there shall be aminimum overhang of the parts outwardly beyond the adjacent spindlebearing. In the present example, these desirable results areconveniently accomplished by making the ring sufiiciently large indiameter to encircle a convenient stationary support attached to orforming a part of the head-stock. As herein shown, this support is anoil retainer for the adjacent spindie bear-ing. lVhen the work-rotatingbody is detached from the spindle, the ring by which the body wasattached to the spindle rests upon and is held against rotation by thestationary support presented by the headstock.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the followingdescription, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings ofonespecific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be pointed out moreparticularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional View of a mounting exemplifying theinvention, showinga face-plate in place on the spindle;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the mounting with theface-plate removed, and with a lathe dog in place; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of the invention whichis illustrated therein, there is shown a portion of a head-stock 6 of alathe, said head-stock prescnting a front spindle bearing mounting, inwhich there is mounted an appropriate bearing, herein a roller bearingcomprising inner and outer races 7 and 8, and a set of rollers 9. Aspindle 10, mounted in the inner race, is provided with a shoulder 11,which rests against the outer end of the race. A lubricant retainingring 12, suitably secured to the head-stock as by screws 13, preventsthe escape of lubricant from the bearing. The spindle is provided with ausual internal taper 14, to receive a taper socket 15, the latterin'turn receiving a usual lathe center 16.

In accordance with my invention, the spind le is provided with anenlargement in the nature of an annular flange 17, which is received ina chamber 18 presented by a workrotating body 19, which in the presentexample is a face-plate, though it should be understood that aface-plate is shown only by way of example, and that the inventioncontemplates the mounting of other bodies, such as chucks, fixtures andsimilar parts. In the embodiment shown, the enlargement or flange has aperipheral tapered surface 20, which snugly fits a corresponding surface21 within the chamber 18, and the enlargement has a face 22, whichcontacts with a corresponding face 23 within the chamber. Thus the body,which is mounted on the spindle, is positioned accurately on the latterconcentric with its axis.

To draw the body 19 into its proper position on the spindle, I haveprovided appropriate means, herein a collar 24, and to bring clearancespace 27, which in practice is ap-' proximately one sixty-fourth of aninch, so that normally the collar is supported solely by thework-rotating body.

Rotation ofv the collar is conveniently accomplished by extending thesame'rearwardly toward the spindle-bearing mounting 6 a sufficientdistance to enable it to be provided with a set of radial slots 28 (bestshown in Fig. 3), to receive a flat bar (not shown), by means of whichthe collar may be turned. lVhile the described fastening means might inand of itself be suflicient to prevent the turning of the work-rotatingbody on the spindle, in the present example, the workrotating bodyisprovided with. oneor more, herein a plurality of driving pins 29,secured to thebody and projecting therefrom loosely into correspondingopenings 30 provided in the enlargement 17 of the spindle.

In Fig. 2, the face-plate has been removed, and the section is in aplane perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1, to show the fact that the.enlargement is provided with a pair of slots 31 to receive atail 32 ofawork-driver such as a usual dog 83, having a set-screw 3 1, by which itis secured to a work-piece 35, the dog and work-piece being shown indotted lines. Any conventional means for driving the work may be usedequally well. The dog shown is of small dimensions, and thus may be usedwithout the face-plate in place. The direct connection of thework-driver to the spindle afiords a positive drive, as nothing can comeapart. When larger dogs are employed, they are of course used inconnection with the face-plate in the usual manner, by providing thelatter with slots to receive the tails of the dogs.

lVhen the work-rotating body is dismounted from the spindle,,the ring 21 is pushed rearwardly out of engagementwith the rear face of thespindle enlargement 17, so that the ring will not be rotated by theenlargement. As herein shown, the ring is conveniently held in itsretracted position, and is prevented from rotating by providing the ringand the oil retainer 12 with mating, tapered surfaces, as shown. Whenthe ring is pushed back firmly, these tapered surfaces are engaged witheach other, but when the ring is again to be used, to secure theworkrotating body to the spindle enlargement, it is a convenient andsimple matter to disengage the ring from the oil retainer.

Having, thus described one embodiment of the invention, but withoutlimiting myself thereto, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is I 1. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, thecombination of a head-stock, a spindle supported by'said head-stock, aworlerotating. body supported by said spindle, and means to secure saidbody to said spindle. said means being disposed about a part of said.head-stock and having a part disposed within a part of said. body.

2. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of ahead-stock, a spindle supported by said head-stock, a work-rotating bodysupported by said spindle, and a ring to secure said body to saidspindle, said ring having a part disposed about a part of saidhead-stock and having a part disposed within a part of said body.

3. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of ahead-stock, a spindle supported by said head-stock, a work-rotating bodysupported by said spindle, and meansto secure saidbody to said. spindle,said means having a part disposed about a part of said'head-stock.

1. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of ahead-stock, a spindle supported by said head-stock, a work-rotating bodysupported by said spindle and having part disposed about a part of saidhead-stock. and means tosecure said body to said spindle.

5. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of ahead-stock, a spindle supported by said head-stock. a work-rotating bodysupported by said spindle and having a part disposed about a partof saidhead-stock, and means to secure said body to said spindle, said meanshaving a part disposed about a part of said head-stock.

6. In work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle having a lateral projection, a work-rotating body supported bysaid projection, a collar to secure said body to said projection, andmeans to support said collar when said body is not supported by saidprojection.

'7. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools. the combination of aspindle having a lateral projection, a work-rotating body supported bysaid projection, said projection and said body having interengagingmeans to cause said body to be rotated by said projection. means tomaintain said projection and said body in inter-engagement. and means tosupport the last-mentioned means when said body is not supported by saidprojection.

8. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle hav ing a lateral projection, a work-rotating body supported bysaid projection, a collar having screw-threaded engagement with saidbody to secure said body to said projection, and means to support saidcollar when said body is not supported by said projection.

9. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination, of aspindle having a lat ral projection. a work-rotating body supported bysaid projection, a collar to secure said body to said projection, andmeans within said collar to support the lat ter when said body is notsupported by said projection.

10. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle havimp; a lateral projection, a work-rotating body supported bysaid projection, means to secure said body to said projection, and meansto support the last-mentioned means in fixed position when said body isnot supported by said projection.

11. In a work-rotating structure for ma chine tools, the combination ofa spindle, a Work-rotating body supported by said spindle, means tosecure said body to said spindle, and means to support thelast-mentioned means when said body is not supported by said spindle.

12. In a work-rotating structure for ma chine tools, the combination ofa spindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle, means tosecure said body to said spindle, and means to support thelast-mentioned means in fixed position when said body is not supportedby said spindle.

13. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle, means normallysupported by said body to secure said body to said spindle, and means tosupport the last-mentioned means When said body is not supported by saidspindle.

14. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having aninternal screw-thread, a

ring having an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-threadof saidv body and securing the latter to said spindle, and means tosupport said ring by internal en'- gagement therewith when said body isnot supported by said spindle.

15. In a Work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle, a work-rotatingbody supported by said spindle and having aninternal screw-thread, a ring having an external screw-thread normallyengaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to said"spindle, said ring having a tapered internal surface, and means havinga tapered external surface to receive said tapered internal surface andto support said ring'when said body is not supported by said spindle.

16. In a Work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having aninternal screw-thread, a ring having an external screw-thread normallyengaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to saidspindle, said ring having a tapered internal surface, and means to holdsaid ring against rotation when said body is not supported by saidspindle.

17 In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle, a Work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having aninternal screw-thread, a ring having an external screw-thread normallyengaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to saidspindle, said ring having a tapered internal surface, and a stationarymember within said ring to support the latter when said body is notsupported by said spindle.

18. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of aspindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having aninternal screw-thread, a ring having an external screw-thread normallyengaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to saidspindle, said ring having a tapered internal surface, a headstock whichsupports said spindle, and means supported by said head-stock andextending into said ring to support the latter when said body is notsupported by said spindle.

19. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of ahead-stock, a member supported by said headstock, a spindle supported bysaid headstock, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle andhaving an internal screw-thread, and a ring having an externalscrew-thread normally engaging the screw-thread of said body andsecuring the latter to said spindle, said ring having an internalsurface normally spaced from said member and adapted to be supported bysaid member when said body is not supported by said spindle.

20. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the'combination ofahead-stock having an externaLtapered surface, a spindle supported bysaid head-stock and concentricwith said projectionya Work-rotating bodysupported by said spindle and having an internal screw-thread and aringhaving an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-thread ofsaidbody and securing thelatter to said spindle, said ring having aninternal, tapered surface normally spaced from 'saidexternal, taperedsurface and engageable therewithjby moving said ring rearwardly whensaid body is removed from said spindle. In testimony whereof, I havesigned my name to this specification. a

-' i -HERBERT L. FLATHER.

